Over 40,000 ticketless commuters fined in Mumbai local trains since August 15

According to the new rule, passengers who are fully vaccinated can travel in the local trains using a monthly season pass, 14 days after taking the vaccine.

Mumbai local trains collected over Rs. 1 crore fine from more than 40,000 commuters who were partially or fully vaccinated for travelling without a ticket since August 15, Times of India reported.

On August 15, travel restrictions were relaxed following which around 3 lakh fully vaccinated commuters travelled with a season pass.

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According to the new rule, passengers who are fully vaccinated can travel in the local trains using a monthly season pass, 14 days after taking the vaccine.

As reported by the Times of India, passenger rights groups have demanded that the railways also issue daily tickets to those who are fully vaccinated.

“There is a gap of 84 days between two vaccines and we have to wait for 15 more days before we are authorised to travel by train. It is too long a wait. Since trains are the best mode of transport, there will be cases of ticketless travelling,” one commuter told the Times of India

Subhash Gupta, president of Rail Yatri Parishad told the publication, “The railways usually appeal to people to travel only if it is necessary and urgent. So, they should be issuing daily tickets as many double vaccinated commuters may not want to travel by train every day. They should have the option of buying a ticket for a single day journey for some urgent work or in case of an emergency.”  

The fine for travelling ticketless is Rs. 260 in addition to the ticket fare. Since April, the local trains have collected Rs. 8 crores from commuters.